Mule.



K. H. CEDERLUND.

MULE\ APPLICATION FILED 111111.29, 1914.

1,117,636, Patented 11011.17, 1914 FIG. 3

K. H. CEDBRLUND.

MULE. APPLICATION FILED AUG.29,1914.

wrmesszs lNvl-:N'ron @d ffmm "K. H. GEDERLUND.

MULE.

APPMGATION FILED AUG.29,1914.

1,1 17,636. Patented Nov. 17, 1914.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

lll/l WITNESSES INVENTUR www @M7/KM M E MQ KARL H, CEDERLUND, OF DUQUESNE, PENNSYLVANIA.

MULE.

arnese.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Nov. i7, 1914.

Application filed August 29, 1914. Serial No. 859,142.

ATo all whom 'it' may concern:

Be it known that I, KARL H. citizen of the United States, Y

uquesne, in the county of Allegheny and State of Fennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Mules, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to car hauls used with car dmnpingmechanism and similar apparatus, employing a pushing car or mule for transferring loaded cars to the platform of a car dumping mechanism, and more particularly relates to the construction of the pushing car or mule forming part of the car haul and the means employed in bringing the mule into position for loaded cars to be engaged by the pushing arm.

ne object of my invention is to provide CEDERLUND, a and resident. ot

means enabling the mule to pass under railroad cars positioned on the track of the car haul in moving the mule into car hauling position.

Another object of my invention is to provide a car haul mule of improved constructi-on and having novel means for lowering the pushing arm of the mule.

A further object of my invention is to provide a mule having a lifting pushing arm and ha ving novel means for raising the lifting arm and holding the arm in raised position.

still further object of the invention is to provide a-mule having improved means for disengaging the arm holding ineclanism` and for lowering the raised lifting arm of the mule.

'Still further objects of my invention will be disclosed as the invention is more fully described hereinafter and is specifically pointed out in the appended claims.

eferring now to the drawings forming part of this specication, Figure l is a vertical sectional side elevation of a car haul having a mule and mule actuating mechanism constructed and arranged in accordance with my invention. Fig. 2 is a plan of the apparatus shown in Fig. l. Fig. 3 is a detail plan, on a larger scale, showing the construction and arrangement of the switches by which the pushing arm oit' the mule is disengaged and lowered from its lifted or car pushing position. Fig, a is a 'being an appli sectional plan, on a larger scale, showing in detail the mule as constructed in accordance with my invention. Fig. 5 is a sectional side elevation of the mule shown in Fig. 4, the section being taken on the line V-V of Fig. 4. Fig. t3 is an end elevation of the construction shown in Figs. land 5. Fig. 7 is a sectional end elevation of the apparatus of Figs. 4, I and (i, the section being taken on the line VII-VH of Fig. 5.

In the accompanying drawings, the numeral 2 designates the rails of the inclined track of a car 3, to beempticd .of their ferred to the platform of mechanism by means my invention7 such car load, are transa car dumping of the mule forming dumping mechanism se used in unloading cars by inverting the loaded cars to discharge their contents in bulk into a conveniently located chute or hopper. Extending parallel with the track railsQ, in a depression or pit 4 between these rails, are rails 5, 5, of a depressed track upon which the mule or pushing car G is mounted. Positioned between the rails 5, 5, of the depressed pushing car track at the bottom, and adjacent to the top of the inclined portions of the car and mule tracks, are arm lifting rails 7 and 8 which are provided Vt'or a purpose described hereinafter. Also located adjacent to the top ot the inclined portions of the tracks, on opposite sides of the lifting rail 8 are switch rails 9 and 10 Figs, and 7). These switch rails extend lengthwise at an angle to the lengthwise center of the track rails and are pivotally secured abone end to the ties of the depressed track itt the pit 4.

Mounted in the pit4 to travel on the track rails 5, 5, of the depressed track is the mule or pusher car 6, the mule having track wheels l1 on axles l2 which are in bearings 13 on the mainv frame 6 of the mule. Pivoted at its rear end by a pin 14, to lugs 15 formed integral on the frame of the mule G is a swinging or lifting pusher arm 1G. The free or swinging end ot' the arm 1G is provided with marginal flanges lTlT and a curved surface 18 which engage with the coupler 'of a standard railroad car in operating the mule totransfer a loaded railroad car on the track rails 2, 2 of the car haul.

Pivotally secured by a pin 19 to the pushing arm 16 at an haul upon which railroad cars lntermcdiate point in the 4 located between the rails 5,

length of arm is an eyebolt 20, a helical spring 21 on the eye-bolt affording means for cushioning the pulling action of the hauling cable 22, one end of which is secured to the eye-bolt. The other end of4 the cable is connected to a winding drum (not shown ,i or other hauling device to actuate the mule on the depressed track and this mechanism being old and well-known and not forming part of this invention is not further described.

Fivotally mounted on a pin 28 between the ends of the integral lugs 2e which extend .downwardly from the sides of the pushing bar is an anti-friction roller 25 which engages with'the lifting rails 7 and 8 that are 5 at the bottom, and adjacent to the top respectively of the inclined portion of the depressed track in the pit 4. The pushing arm 16 has lugs 26 on the outer surfaces of the vertical sides of the arm, arranged to be engaged by the upper ends of the swinging levers 27 which are pivoted by pins 2B on the pairs of lugs 29 extending inwardly from the inner surfaces of each side of the car frame 6. '.lhe lower ends of these levers 27 extend downwardly below the plane of the top of the track rails 5 and helical springs 30 connected to the levers and to the sides of the mule frame 6 are employed to move and yieldingly hold the 4levers in engaging position relative to the lugs 26 on the pushing bar 16 or the position shown in Figs. l, 5 and 7. The depending ends of the levers 27 are arranged to engage with the switch rails 9 and 10 at the top of the inclined portion of the depressed track when the pushing arm 16 is being lowered. When engaged in `the pusher arm lowering operation by the switch rails 9 and 10 the levers 27 are moved inwardly so as the upper ends thereof out of engagement with the lugs 2G on the sides of the pushing armsl. This permits the pushing arm to be lowered until its forward end rests on the end of the main frame 6 of themule or in the position shown by broken lines in F ig. 5.. To prevent the pusher arm falling and possiblybreaking or causing damage to itsel or other parts of thepusher car, the lifting rail 8 is positioned between the switch rails, and the lifting rail 8 being inclined on its ends asis shown in Fig. l, the pusher arm is gently lowered from its raised position into its lowered position. When the car reaches the lower end of the inclined portion of the tracks the anti-friction roller 25 on the pushing arm engages with the lifting rail 7 between thetracks at the bottom inclined portion of the track and by engagement with ythis lifting' raiL its outer swinging end is lifted until again in the position shown in Fig. 5. dsit reaches this `position the springs 30 on' the lower ends of the levers 27 more the upper' ends of the levers into swing'l wardiy so as to engage the lugs 26 on the sides of the pushing bar and securely holdv he pushing arm 16 in its raised position until it is again disengaged at the top of the inclined portion of the depressed track. When the pushing car is moving upwardly on the inclined track to shift a loaded car 3 to the platform of a car dumper, the lower ends of the pivoted levers 27 on the car frame engage with the outer surfaces of the switch rails 9 and 10 and movel these rails inwardly against the resistance of the springs 31. When the mule has moved upwardly on the track a distance suiiicient for the depending ends of the lever arms 27 to clear the uppr ends of the switch rails 9 and 10, the springs 31 act to spread or draw the switch rails outwardly until again in the position shown in Figs. 2 and 3.

in the operation of my improved apparatus the mule will be actuated by a suitable winding mechanism having a hauling cable, one end of which is attached tothe eye-bolt 2O on the pushing arm of the pushing car. A loaded car 3 is moved by a locomotive on the rails 2, 2;- forming the track into the position-shown in Fig. 1. As the mule reaches this position the anti-friction roller 25 on -the pushing arm engages with the lifting rail 7 between the track rails of the depressed track and lifts the pushing arm 16 into the position shown in full lines in Fig. lVhen lifted into this position the springs 30 attached to the lower ends of the levers 27 which are pivoted to the sides of the mule act to move the upper ends oiv these levers into 'engagement with the lugs or stops 26 on the sides of the pushing arm 16. rlhe winding mechanism is then actuated to move the pushing arm until its forward end engages with the coupler or draw head of the loaded freight car 3 to travel upwardly 'on the inclined track until it is delivered on the platform of a car dump or other position desired on the track at the top of the inclined track. In the meantime, another loaded car' is positioned, as shown in Fig. 1, by a locomotive. The mule is then caused to travel downwardly on the inclined track. At the beginning of its downward movement the lower ends of the pivoted levers 27 engage with the inner surfaces of thepivoted switch rails 9 and 10 located between the rails 5, 5

of the depressed track, as shown in Fig" 7. Engagement of the lower ends of these piv-l oted levers moves their 'upper ends out wardly until clear of the lugls 26 on the sides of the pushing arm 16, t e anti-friction roller 25 on the pushing arm being engaged by the lifting rail 8 located between the switch lrails 9 and 10. The upper or swinging end of the pushing bar is thereby low ered by the inclined portion of the ifting rail 8 until it rests on the end .of the main frame of the mule in the position shown by` 1n the length of the car lifted position by the levers 27 in the manner which has been described. The above described operations are then repeated with successive cars in moving the loaded cars upwardly on the inclined track.

The advantages of my invention will be apparent to those skilled in the art. By the use of my improved apparatus the pushing arm of the mule is mechanically moved into and out of its raised position and is positively held in raised position while shifting loaded cars on the inclined track.

T e apparatus is simple and is easily kept in repair. By its use the necessity of positioning the mule in a pit before loaded ca rs can be moved into position to be transferred on the inclined track by the mule is avoided and overcome.

Modifications in the construction and arrangement of the parts may be made without departing from my invention as defined in the appended claims.

claim:

1. In a car haul7 a mule comprising a wheeled car frame, a pushing arm pivotally mounted on said frame, means connecting said mule with a haulage rope, means for raising said arm at predetermined points haul track, means on said frame for holding the arm in raised position, and means between the track rails of the car haul track for disengaging the arm holding means.

' 2. In a car haul, a mule comprising' a wheeled car frame, a pushing arm pivotally mounted on said frame, means connecting said mule with a haulage rope, means for raising said arm at predetermined points in the length of the car haul track, means on said frame for holding the pivoted arm in raised position, means between the track rails of the c ar In a carv haul, a mule comprising a frame movable along the track of the car haul, a pushing arm pivoted to said frame, means on the car haul track for lifting the pivoted arm, means on said arm engaged by the arm lifting means to raise the swinging end of said pushing arm, and means on said 7 means on the car haul track for lifting the pivotedarm, means on said arm enga the arm lifting means to raise the swinging means on said frame for .holding the pushing arm in lifted position, and means on the car haul track lifting means to arm on said frame.

5. n a car haul, a

movable along the track of the car l, a pushing arm pivoted to said frame, means on the car haul track for lifting the pivoted ar means on said arm engaged by t e arm lifting means to raiseV the frame.

6. In a car haulg a mule comprising a Wheeled frame, a pushing arm pivotally mounted on said frame, means pivoted on said arm for connecting a haulage rope to said mule, depending .lugs on the pushing arm, an anti-fricti0n roller between said lugs, means between the car haul track rails engaging said roller to raise and lower said arm at predetermined points in the length of the car haul track, and means on the mule frame for holding the pushing position.

7. In a car haul, a mule comprising a wheeled frame, a pushing arm pivotally mounted on said frame, means pivoted on said arm, for connecting a haulage rope to said mule, depending lugs on the pushing arm, an anti-friction roller between said lugs, means between the car haul track rails means in lowering the lifted pushing arm.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto set arm in raised 

